How many new technologies did your business adopt last year? Too many? Too few? You’ve officially made it through 2017 and there’s no better time than now to review which IT fads were worth investing in, and which ones should be left in the past.

New technological developments such as cloud computing and virtualization are prying small- and medium-sized businesses away from traditional client-server architecture. In contention now lie Containers, a technology influenced by cloud computing that offers a less complex alternative to virtualization.

Gone are the days when you have to spend a large amount of money each month on the telephone bill. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology has made it cheaper — and in most cases, free — to place and receive calls. Whether you’re a business owner or an individual user, there is a VoIP option that suits you.

Despite being late to the group chat scene, Microsoft Teams is equipped with a handful of features and impressive integration that set it apart from its competitors. So if you’re already subscribed to Office 365, here’s how you can take Teams to the next level.

The recent Windows 10 Fall Creators update is just a few weeks old but Microsoft has already released another major update. On December 19, they rolled out a new Windows 10 Insider update to test two new features: Sets and Timeline.

Sets

Sets takes the tab features from web browsers and adds them to various Microsoft apps, including Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook.

Whether it be cloud, mobile, or on-premises, every technology you use stores certain confidential data that are accessed by your employees. So how do you guarantee the safety of said data from cyber threats like identity theft, phishing attacks and more? IAM is the answer.

The age-old proverb “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” is especially relevant when budgeting for IT services. With the right technology consulting and support, any business can afford customized solutions that employ creative methods to achieve its end goals.

According to several experts, Voice over IP (VoIP) phone systems are one of the top investments businesses make, and for good reason. The ability to call anyone from anywhere with an internet connection gives employees lots of flexibility. And with 2018 just around the corner, there will be new VoIP developments to look forward to.

Over 330 million consumers connected with small businesses via Facebook Messenger in 2017 alone, so it’s evident that the ‘phone call’ era is coming to a close. Since consumers now want constant, immediate online connectivity with their local car dealership, pizza joint, and other local businesses, it is only fitting that Facebook Messenger’s latest feature grants consumers even more flexibility in how they contact their local business.

Despite Microsoft Office’s easy-to-use interface, mastering all the features in this suite of productivity tools requires time. But fret not, the following training videos will help you become a Microsoft Office expert fast.

Office Basics is a series of free Office training videos from Microsoft which cover different features and functionality.